The Other Side
by Silvera Sphinx
Summary: A group of teens, all raised on the Dark side, are transferring into Hogwarts. Which side will they ultimately join, and how will this affect the ongoing war? Meanwhile, can a lonely child finally discover his own power and a place of belonging? AU Yaoi
1. Introduction

_Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or any characters except for the originals._

**The Other Side**

_**Introduction**_

"Out of the way, little brother," a voice said contemptuously as Desmond felt himself being shoved aside.

He glared as his elder brother took his place in front of the full-length mirror, but as usual, it didn't bother Dorian at all. He merely continued adjusting his robes and collar, then moved on to his hair.

"I need the mirror too, brother."

His brother looked him up and down as if he were a common street urchin.

"I have to look perfect tonight, Desmond; you'll just have to wait."

"He said both of us, not just you."

"No one's going to be looking at you; I'm his heir. They'll all be too busy looking at Father and me."

The two stood in a silent argument until Desmond looked away. 'This is an important night. Father will be beyond angry if we ruin it.'

"Fine."

He strode to the other side of the room and touched the bare wall. It shimmered beneath his fingers and shifted into something that resembled a mirror. Ignoring his older brother, he went about getting himself ready. This would be the first time any of his father's followers saw either of them. It was important for the two of them to reflect well on their father. As he dressed, he let his mind wander. 'I already know who will be here. I wonder if father had them bring their children as well. Probably not, since it's so important. Regardless, I do wonder if Cately will be here.' The two brothers suddenly turned in unison to look at the door. Without glancing at one another, they simultaneously slid to one knee with their heads bowed. A second later, the door opened to reveal a tall regal man in expensive robes. He had handsome dark hair and eyes. His posture immediately let you know that he was in charge. No one in the wizarding world would believe that this handsome man was the Dark Lord himself Lord Voldemort.

"Get up; I didn't have those robes made for you so you could ruin them rubbing on the floor."

They slid fluidly to their feet.

"Yes, father."

"Are you two ready?"

"Well, I am, but I'm not so sure about Desmond."

Dorian looked pointedly at his younger brother.

"Desmond?"

"I'm ready, father. Are they arriving yet?"

"It doesn't matter; they will wait."

The Dark Lord strode toward his heir and adjusted his robes. Then he turned to his youngest and did the same.

"You both know that you will be assuming your titles tonight?"

They both answered in unison.

"Of course."

"Good, do not embarrass me. You will be representing me and our entire cause. Am I understood?"

"I will make you proud, father."

Dorian smirked at his brother as he answered.

"We both will, father."

Lord Voldemort nodded and swept toward the door.

"Finish getting ready, and wait for my summons."

"Father, before you go…I wanted to ask you…"

"Cately will arrive either tomorrow or the day after, the same as the rest of the children. On this occasion, she is just like the others."

Desmond smiled appreciatively at his father. He wasn't at all perturbed by the fact that his father had just invaded his mind. He had nothing to hide from him.

"You act as if she is a pure-blooded princess or something of the like. She's just a half-blood."

Desmond turned quickly.

"Watch what you say, Dorian. Father knows all that goes on within these walls and hears all as well."

"Hmph, I will say what I wish."

Desmond smiled happily as Dorian left the room. 'At least I can get ready in peace now.' A second later he quickly exited the room and met Dorian in the hallway. Both of them had heard the hissed summons that had seemed to have come from the walls. They locked eyes, and both nodded in agreement of a temporary truce before Desmond bowed his head and allowed Dorian to precede him.

**Please Review!! I need advice and criticism.**


	2. Chapter 1

_Italicized quotes are in Parseltongue._

_**Chapter One: First Presentation**_

The two of them stopped as they reached the end of the hall. From where they stood, they could see into the chamber. Desmond could see the kneeling figures of his father's followers in front of the stone dais. As he watched, his father addressed his followers, or Death Eaters.

"We will not be defeated, for we have something that the Light side knows nothing of and has no chance of controlling or of defeating. Stand and behold."

The Death Eaters immediately stood and looked to the entrance to the right of the dais where their Lord had gestured. Dorian smirked before he pushed Desmond out of the way. Desmond shrugged and followed his brother out onto the platform.

"I present to you my heirs."

Dorian smirked and stood proudly on the Dark Lord's right hand side; Desmond stared calmly from his father's left side. The Death Eaters couldn't see their faces because of the dark masks both of them wore to keep their faces hidden. Their father suspected that there was at least one, if not more, traitors amongst his followers and wouldn't let any but his most trusted see their faces.

"This is my first heir, the Dark Prince."

Dorian smirked at the dumbfounded looks in the Death Eaters' eyes.

"And this," Voldemort gestured to his left side, "is the Shadow Prince. The two of them are below no one but me. They have absolute power and control of you as well."

There was a pause before they seemed to come to their senses and dropped to one knee with their heads bowed, but before they did, Desmond made sure to remember which of them showed signs of resentment.

"That concludes tonight's meeting; you may all go. Those of you whom I spoke to before...stay."

Most of the robed figures rose and prepared to apparate home. Desmond's keen hearing picked up sighs of relief, and he noticed that none of them showed any signs of being held under the Cruciatus. 'Guess father was in a good mood tonight.' He then turned his attention to those that had stayed and were still kneeling. 'So _these_ are the members of father's Inner Circle.' He studied them closely and immediately recognized a few of them. 'There is Bellatrix Lestrange, and I assume the man beside her is her husband, Rodolphus. The younger one beside him has a similar bone structure, so I assume that's his brother, Rabastan. The platinum blonde hair gives that one away as Lucius Malfoy, and the scent of potions' ingredients indicates that that must be Severus Snape.' His musings were interrupted when his father spoke to his servants.

"Stand and remove your masks. Introduce yourselves to my heirs; it is important for them to know the members of my Inner Circle intimately."

One by one, they slid their masks off and stood together in a line as they formally introduced themselves, starting with the Lestranges.

"I am Bellatrix Lestrange, your highnesses, and this is Rodolphus."

As she finished and stepped back into line, the Dark Lord hissed in Parseltongue to his sons. _"They are two of my most loyal followers, especially Bella; she has been loyal to me since before her coming of age.__"_

"I am Rabastan Lestrange; it is an honor to meet you."

"_He is Rodolphus' younger brother."_

"My name is Alecto Carrow, and this is my twin brother, Amycus."

"We are pleased and honored to serve members of our Master's family."

"_Loyal, though not nearly as intelligent as the Lestranges."_

"I am Severus Snape."

"_A brilliant potions maker, his loyalty has been questioned recently. He remains a member of my Inner Circle only because of his talents and his current position at Dumbledore's side."_

"_Don't worry, father, I will personally keep an eye on him."_

"_As will I, father."_

"It is an honor to meet you; I am Lucius Malfoy."

"_Loyal and cunning as well; despite his current situation of being on the run from the Ministry, he still has his uses."_

"It is a pleasure to meet you," purred a witch in blue robes, "I am Ava Langton."

_"Intelligent as well as beautiful and exceptionally talented in her field."_

"Greetings, I am Arthur Wells, and this is my wife, Clarice."

_"Well-connected and popular both in the UK and Europe; they have only recently arrived from Europe."_

"Miranda Tildis, milords," a tall, pale woman stated.

_"One of our main links to our allies, the vampires." _

"You will get to know my Inner well; you are above them in every way. They will obey your every command or be punished as you see fit."

Voldemort turned to his sons and asked, "Is there anything you'd like to add?"

"Nothing, except to request that they remain so that the Dark Prince and I have the chance to better acquaint ourselves with them."

"Your request is granted. Acquaint yourselves."

With that being said, the Dark Lord exited the chamber, leaving his followers with his heirs. Dorian was smirking at them, the only thing visible from behind his mask. He was obviously enjoying the amount of power that had been given to him; Desmond on the other hand was studying them intently.

"Your numbers are small. I had thought that there would be more of you here?"

He stared impassively at them as he awaited an answer to his query.

_**Please review. Flames and advice are welcome.**_


	3. Chapter 2

**_Chapter Two: Power Assertion_**

Dorian glanced strangely at Desmond, but for once allowed his brother to control the situation. Lucius stepped forward and bowed.

"If it pleases you, I will provide a suitable answer."

Dorian's reply was immediate.

"I will decide if your answers are suitable or not."

Lucius hesitated, and then seemed to recover his poise; he hadn't yet learned how to please the two of them as he did his master yet.

"The decision is, of course, yours your highness; a few of us are on business for the Dark Lord and so were now able to attend tonight; also, our numbers have been reduced by the Light side. Many of our comrades have been imprisoned, and our master does not take lightly allowing people into the Inner Circle, and so any spaces often remain open for quite awhile."

As he finished his explanation, he dipped his head and stepped back into line. Dorian seemed satisfied with this and took a seat in the throne that had erstwhile been occupied by the Dark Lord; Desmond stood thinking quietly. Silence reigned in the chamber as both the princes seemed deep in their own thoughts, and no one knew if they could speak or not. 'This is fuckin' boring; I'm stuck in here with these lowly servants and my so called _brother_. If I must be here, I might as well be comfortable.'

"Loddy."

All eyes focused on the Dark Prince as a small house-elf appeared beside the throne with a pop.

"Yes, Master."

"Bring me a cup of tea."

The small elf instantly disappeared with a pop; the noises seemed to have awakened Desmond from his thoughts. He looked up from where he had been standing and walked to the center of the dais. From there, he looked into the eyes of each and every one of them. Shivers ran down their spines as he met their eyes; it was as if he could see into their very minds and yet, none of them felt his using Legilimency. He broke the eye contact as abruptly as he had made it. As he studied them, they were studying him and Dorian as well, trying to get their measures; even Bellatrix was keeping silent for the moment. Though the cause for that may have been that she had yet to ascertain how to verbally please the princes.

"Why do you not remove your masks? Surely you would be more comfortable without them?"

This question was immediately followed by a scream of pain as Rabastan Lestrange fell to the floor writhing in agony. The others watched in horrified fascination. He was obviously in the throes of a Cruciatus, though neither Dorian nor Desmond held a wand or said a word.

"You will not presume to give me orders; my father may find you worth something, but you have yet to prove anything to me. Presently, all of you are lower and more useless than the house-elves to me."

Dorian was sipping his tea as he watched the man writhe and scream; it was obvious he had no plans of letting up anytime soon. Rodolphus made as if to speak but was stopped by his wife.

"Don't interfere, Rodolphus; the fool brought it upon himself," she whispered, gazing at the writhing man with a look of glee in her dark eyes.

Rodolphus could only stand and watch as his brother screamed in pain.

Desmond spoke, "Don't you think that is enough?"

"Keep out of this, Desmond; do not try to command me."

The interruption did its job though, as Dorian's concentration was broken just long enough. As the curse was lifted, Rabastan lay groaning on the ground; he seemed to still be conscious, but only just barely.

"Attend to your brother, Lestrange; he will need medical attention."

Desmond knew that though it hadn't been exceptionally long, Dorian's curses were brutal, and he would not have held anything back for a perceived insult. Rodolphus bowed in thanks and hastily knelt beside his younger brother.

"Though, before you take him to see a healer, you should all listen, and listen carefully."

Desmond could feel his brother's stare on his back as he addressed the Death Eaters. He turned to look at him and was glad when his brother seemed to have forgotten his interruption. 'For now anyway.'

"We will not be removing our masks around any of you until we are sure of whom we can trust. Until we are sure of where your loyalties truly lie, you won't see our faces or know our true names."

As he said this, he met each of their eyes once again, pausing a second longer on Snape.

"Do you have anything to add, Dark Prince?"

Dorian looked at them and seemed to think about it before he replied.

"Never try to give me orders, or you'll think that _his_," he gestured at Rabastan's prone figure, and then continued, "punishment was nothing in comparison."

He met their eyes as well, but his gaze was full of ice and venom and was meant only to intimidate. None of them could hold his glance for more than a second before they were forced to look away.

"Take your brother to see the healers, Lestrange; tell them precisely what occurred here."

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	4. Chapter 3

**_To answer JESSICA's question: I'm not sure who's going to win yet. So far I've only planned to tell this story from the people on the Dark Side's position. Thank you for the review. I love them._**

**_Chapter Three: First Arrival_**

'Hmm…if I move that desk over there, I'll have more room by my bed, but then…' The Shadow Prince's musings were disrupted by a quiet knocking at the door.

"Come in."

The door opened and a house-elf entered.

"Master, Miss Blanchard has just arrived; she awaits you."

"Good, you may go."

He smiled as the elf shut the door and left. He grabbed his mask and secured it to his face before he opened the door and went down the hall. Along the way, he passed various house-elves, cleaning or going about various other jobs. He was just coming out of the corridor into the chamber that was the only Apparation point in the building, when he heard voices.

"You go ahead, father; I've already sent word to him. I'm sure he'll be here soon; I perfectly fine to wait here by myself."

"If you're sure, Cately…"

"I am."

At the end of this exchange, he heard footsteps heading away from him. Continuing into the room, he came into sight of a very female figure. She was wearing simple, dark green robes and a black, traveling cloak. Her long hair was dark brown with natural, red highlights; he couldn't see her eyes because she was facing the fireplace.

"Hello, Cat; It's good to see you."

Cat turned to face him, revealing that her beautiful face; it was elegant with beautiful, high cheekbones. She seemed to glow from the inside, and you felt a pull from just looking at her. Her eyes, an enthralling, dark blue shade, attracted your gaze unerringly; everything about her drew the attention of those around her; she drew to mind the image of a medieval princess.

"Hello Des, or should I call you Shadow Prince or maybe Your Highness?"

Her eyes sparkled with mischief as she teased him.

"Just Des," he laughed.

She was one of the few people who were comfortable enough around him to joke with, and tease, him; it was refreshing.

"With that mask on, you're the Shadow Prince."

"Alright, alright I just wanted you to see it."

"Well, Your Highness, I've seen it; now get rid of it."

He slipped the mask off.

"Better?"

"Much."

"Let's go back to my room; it's more comfortable."

"Now that's something I want to see. Have any of the others arrived?"

"No, they aren't due till tomorrow. Come to think of it, why are you here so early?"

"Father was summoned to a meeting with our Lord, and I convinced him that it would be ok with you if I came early. So, was I right?"

"Do you even need to ask? I'm stuck here with no one to talk to except Dorian, and you know how he is. He'd rather curse me than speak with me."

"Shouldn't you be used to being by yourself? I mean you pretty much always were back at Ice Manor, weren't you?"

"That was different; at least there I didn't have to wear my mask just to walk down the hall."

"Yeah, I would go crazy if had to always do that. I mean, just look at this face; there's no way I'm going to cover it up with a mask," she said with mock arrogance.

She looked as if she were imagining what it would be like to have to wear a mask.

"Anyways, here we are. I haven't touched anything yet, so you'd better help because it definitely isn't to my tastes."

"I'll take a look, but you know that this sort of stuff is more Cassie's thing than mine."

"Whose always the one giving orders right beside her? If I'm not mistaken, her name was Cat or something to that effect."

"I only assist. Besides I am not that bossy. Am I?"

"You are, sometimes, but that's why we all love you."

She giggled, "I've missed that charming wit. How long's it been since we've seen each other?"

"About a month, I think, but don't worry. From what father's told me, we'll be seeing each other quite regularly now, the others as well."

She looked up at him in excitement.

"What did he tell you?! Is he sending us somewhere, on an assignment perhaps?"

"If he wanted you to know, he would have told you himself. You'll just have to wait like everyone else, and find out tomorrow night."

She sighed in annoyance but nodded, knowing he was probably under order, and entered the room. 'She never was the most patient of people.' Of course, he also knew that she was more dangerous than a viper when she wanted to be.

**Please leave a comment; even if it's bad!!**


	5. Chapter 4

**_Chapter Four: Familiar Faces_**

'I wonder who first thought of using unicorn horn as a material for making blades?'

"Ugh…not that thing. I thought you'd gotten rid of it years ago."

Desmond looked over at Cat from where he was lying on the settee examining an ornamental long dagger.

"No, I just **told **you I'd gotten rid of it. This is way too important to just get rid of."

"First off, **how** could you lie to me? Second off, I'll bet you don't even remember who gave it to you, let alone why it's important; I mean after all, you dislike it at least as much as I do."

Desmond looked deep in thought. 'Where did I get this thing? It's not like these are common, and yet, I can't seem to recall.'

Giving up, he growled in frustration, "Oh, I can't believe we're reduced to discussing this horrid thing! We really have lost our minds."

"Calm down, Des. Why don't we go wait for the others in receiving chamber? They should be here soon, after all."

He nodded in agreement and stood up to style himself properly. He donned a black cloak with an emerald colored collar over his dark blue robes. The collar flared at his neck and had two serpents embroidered on it. He turned for Cat's opinion when he was through.

"Well, what do you think? Do I look like the Shadow Prince?"

"Perfectly so, except for the mask."

She headed to the door and opened it. Stepping into the hall, she waited as Desmond sealed the door shut with a touch of his finger. As soon as she was sure he was ready, Cat started off down the hall.

"Oh, and Des?"

"Yes."

"One of the visiting lords from the Vampiric Council gave it to you, as a show of goodwill the last time they were here."

"How…"

"Cat!!"

A figure clothed in red robes dragged Cately into a deep embrace before he could finish the question. When Cat had recovered from her shock, she returned the hug just as enthusiastically, and Desmond discreetly slid into the shadows and left via a secret passageway. 'Time to get ready.'

"Oh, I can't believe you're here! We have so much to catch up on, and why wasn't I notified the instant you arrived?! I specifically told the house-elves to come and tell me. They seriously need some discipline."

"I know, but later, come on; the others are here too."

The two girls ran together to the Apparition point, and Cat was soon engulfed by her friends. She barely even noticed that the Shadow Prince had disappeared.

"Rashira, how are you?!"

A tall, pale, handsome boy pulled Cat into a hug, and Cat shuddered pleasurably as he grazed her neck with his sharp canines. As soon as he released her, she was approached by another of her friends.

"Hi, Cat."

"Hello, Nervana. How have you been?"

"Fine, I…"

There greetings were interrupted by a throat being cleared loudly and impatiently. They both turned, and Cat smiled at the sight before her.

"Hello, Cat. I'm sure you and Nervana can talk later, but me, I'm impatient."

They were mid-hug when they were physically separated by someone.

"Whoever said you could hug Blaise, Cat? I'm the only bloke you can hug. Haven't you heard that some of them are real pervs?"

"I don't need you to tell me who to trust; I can take care of myself. Besides, why can't I find myself a nice bloke or two?"

"You're mine, and I don't share."

"Excuse me?! I don't belong to anyone, least of all you, Malfoy."

For a second they glared at each other as if they would be going for their wands at any second, but at the same time, they smiled at each other, and Cat hugged the Malfoy heir. As they stood back, she smiled brilliantly again.

"I missed you, Draco. Two months is much too long to be separated from someone who's practically your brother. We definitely have to make sure it never happens again; I mean, during the school year is bad enough. I refuse to suffer through it during the summer too."

He smirked.

"Of course you missed me; I'm me. You'd have to be blind, deaf, and more than a little nutters not to."

Everyone laughed at his exaggerated arrogance.

"It's good to be with my friends again, but where's everyone else?"

"Don't worry, Cat; the kids are still with our parents, and they'll all be here soon."

"Kera too?"

"Her _and_ that pestilence, Nexus."

"Well, to have Kera we have to deal with Nexus, fact of life."

"Hey, Cat, where's Destin?"

Cately took a quick look around and suddenly realized that he wasn't with her anymore. 'Guess he's making his big entrance then.'

"Oh, he'll be here soon too. So, tell me, anything interesting happen? I haven't exchanged letters with or Firechatted with any of you in weeks."

"Us?! You're the one who got here early; you should be telling us the news. Did you see the Princes yet? What are they like?"

"Them? Well, I've only really met the Shadow Prince, and only for a few seconds; he seemed...interesting."

"Interesting? I should think he seemed something else too, like powerful."

"Yeah, and he's probably arrogant too."

"Be careful of what you say, Nervana; he might hear you, and then I definitely don't want to be standing next to you."

"He's definitely powerful, I mean look at who his father is, but he definitely doesn't seem nearly as arrogant as Draco is usually."

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	6. Chapter 5

_**Chapter Five: More Familiar Faces**_

Draco's eyes sparkled with thunder, and Cat braced herself for one of his explosions but was saved by the door swinging open. They all turned to look and were delighted to see there parents; Cat was especially happy to see her family, since she hadn't seen any of them, except for her father, for almost the entire summer.

"Mom, dad, Elysia, I'm so glad you're here!"

"Caty, how are you, my darling?"

"Hello, sister."

She hugged her parents and her little sister; as she did, she watched as the others greeted their families. Rashira was with his mother and sister, Draco with his father and Blaise, Nervana with her brother, and Cassie with her mother. There was a sound from behind her and as she turned to look, she saw Kera enter.

"Cat! Cassie!"

The younger girl hugged both Cat and Cassie tightly before she hugged the others. Cately slid carefully out of the group to greet the excited girl's parents; people who had basically been family to her since she'd been born. As she did, he saw Draco stride over purposefully to join her.

"Hello, Auntie Bella, Uncle Rodolphus."

She was hugged tightly by her "aunt" and given a firm squeeze on the shoulder by her "uncle"; Draco was given a similar greeting.

"Hello, Cately, Draco. I trust the two of you have been conducting yourselves properly?"

The two answered at the same time, with the same words.

"Of course, we have, Aunt Bellatrix."

"As you should, can I get the two of you to watch Kera and Nexus? We have an audience with our Master, and I don't trust the two of them to behave in a befitting manner without supervision."

"Sure," Cat answered enthusiastically, not daring to look at Draco as she did.

As soon as the two of them were out of earshot, Draco glared at her.

"Why the hell'd you go and do that? Now we have to keep Nexus with us."

"I couldn't very well say no, could I?"

"You should have, or at least, let me do it."

Their discussion was escalating into an argument when Lucius joined them, placing a hand casually on Draco's shoulder, causing the younger blonde to instantly fall silent.

"Cately, it's good to see you well."

"Hello, Uncle Lucius; it's good to see you well also," she stated formally, dipping a deep curtsy.

He nodded in approval and held out a package to her; she accepted it with another deep curtsy.

"Draco, see that you behave properly. The Dark Lord doesn't suffer fools."

"Of course, father," his son responded, solemnly.

With that, the imposing wizard was gone, and she noticed that all of the other adults were leaving as well; her own parents waved to her as they disappeared through the door.

"So, what'd he get you this time," Draco asked, the emotionless mask wiped away.

"Not sure yet."

Lucius wasn't really her uncle; in fact, to find an actual connection between her family and the Malfoy's, you'd have to trace their family trees back past the time of the Founders. She had just been calling him that since she had been a small child; at three years old, she couldn't understand the concept of Lucius being her godfather, and though Lucius never had been warm with her like her godmother, each time he saw her, he brought her a gift he deemed useful to her learning and development. This time, he had brought her a new book of songs, complicated and difficult music that appeared to have been written centuries ago; she showed it to Draco before she slid it into her robes. By now, the room was empty of adults, and the Inner's various children now settled around the fireplace to catch up, all except Nexus, who sat in a corner reading a book. He preferred to be left alone with his books, so that was what they did.

"Well, Cat, we're all waiting for you to tell us."

"About what," she asked jokingly.

"You know what, the princes of course."

Cately opened her mouth but closed it again when the door swung open with so much force it slammed into the wall. In the silence that followed, a figure dressed in a rich cloak adorned with snakes and a black mask entered. Without him even announcing who he was, the teens knew that he was one of the Princes. Almost as one, they slid to one knee with their heads bowed low. Cately hid a smile of amusement as she did so. 'I was wondering when he'd come.' Her thoughts were stopped when he addressed them.

"Since you don't know who I am yet, I think I should introduce myself; I am Desmond, the Shadow Prince, second only to the Dark Prince and the Dark Lord himself."

"Greetings, Your Highness," rang from all of their throats as they gave their obeisance accordingly.

The Shadow Prince seemed to smile in satisfaction at their response, though you couldn't really tell with the mask, and his eyes glowed like hot emeralds as he swept his gaze over each and every one of them. His gaze landed on the only one who dared to look up at him, Cately; her eyes were dancing with mirth.

"You there, stand and state your name."

Cately stood and addressed him serenely, "I am Cately Blanchard, Your Highness," she ended with a tiny curtsy.

"You dare to meet my eyes so blatantly," he asked menacingly.

"I didn't mean to offend you; I was merely gazing upon your cloak. The material seems a bit substandard to me."

'I guess this is her way of telling me she hates my cloak.'

The others looked up at their friend in absolute shock; usually, Cately was one of the most talented speakers in their group.

'This is kind of fun.' "How dare you speak to me in such a way? I shall have to devise a fitting punishment for your transgression."

He gazed into her eyes for her reaction, but she was no longer paying any attention to him. She was looking at a young witch whom he assumed was her sister. The witch turned back to him, and her eyes told him to end the charade, immediately. 'Well, it was fun, but I guess I should show them.'

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	7. Chapter 6

**_Chapter Six: Secret Revealed  
_**

"Ah, I've just hit upon a brilliant idea for a punishment; come up here beside me."

Cately walked gracefully to his side and stood facing her friends, but she was watching only one person, her sister Elysia who looked on the verge of tears. She hadn't seen her elder sister all summer, and now she was going to have to watch as she was punished.

"The rest of you, stand so that you will have a better view."

They did as they were told and stood straight and tall, facing their prince. Desmond smirked as he thought of the looks that would be on their faces when he revealed himself. He lifted his hand to his mask and removed it, and suddenly, the room was full of exclaiming voices.

"Desmond?!"

"Bloody hell, what's going on here?!"

"Fuck, you're the Shadow Prince?!"

"What's going on here?!"

"He's not the prince; he's a fake!"

After deciding that enough was enough, Cately brought her fingers to her mouth and let loose an earsplitting whistle. Instantly, everyone fell silent and stared at her.

"That's better; all your noise was giving me a headache. Now, if you want to know what's going on, then you have to shut up, and let Des explain."

"Uh…thanks, Cat; though, could you do it a little further from my ear next time?"

"How about next time I let you figure it out yourself?"

Cat glared at him and went to stand next to her sister; she put her arm around her shoulders as she awaited Desmond's explanation. 'Oh, this will be interesting,' she thought as she looked at Draco's outraged expression. 'That look always means trouble; I'm just glad I'm not on the receiving end of it.'

"Guys, if you could just keep quiet, and hear me out, I'll let you ask questions at the end."

He looked around and continued when they all nodded in agreement.

"Ok, well I'm the same Desmond you all met over the summer, with the exception of the younger kids of course. Only, I'm not just the son of one of the Dark Lord's elite like I told you; I'm _His_ son. My official title is now the Shadow Prince, and I didn't tell you before because I had to make sure I could trust you first. You are the only ones who know who I truly am, and you are to tell no one. Any questions?"

Cassie immediately raised her hand, and at Desmond's nod, she spoke.

"You said that we weren't to tell anyone. Does that include our parents? Cause it'll be pretty hard to hide this from them, some more than others."

She glanced pointedly at the younger members of their group.

"You needn't worry about them; my father is informing them as we speak."

Nervana was next with a question.

"If you're the Shadow Prince, then who's the Dark Prince?"

"He's my elder brother, and his name is Dorian. Beyond that, I can't tell you; it would be his choice if he wished to show himself to you; just as it was mine to show you."

"Fat chance of that happening anytime soon," was Cately's opinion on the subject.

Kera posed the next one.

"What are we supposed to call you now? I mean we used to all call you Desmond or Des, but what about now?"

"Call me whatever you used to, except for when I'm wearing the mask or in front of others; then you'll have to address me as Shadow Prince or Your Highness. We're friends; nothing's changed. You just know more about me now."

Draco stepped out of the crowd, and from the look in his eyes and his stance, Cat knew there was going to be trouble.

"Except that now, you're a prince," he said sarcastically.

The incensed look on his face hadn't dissipated at all; if anything, he had only gotten angrier.

"Yeah, now when we annoy you, you can Crucio us, but you're right, nothing at all's changed," Blaise agreed, his eyes shining maliciously as he moved to stand at Draco's side.

'Blaise, must you always join in on Dray's side?' Usually, she was happy about that, but today, it only complicated things. Desmond opened his mouth to reply but was cut off by Draco.

"Why is it that Cately didn't seem at all surprised when you removed your mask," was Draco's shrewd question.

"Good question, Malfoy; it's because Cat already knew. She was under the Dark Lord's care this summer, and he thought it better if we got to know each other. So, she and I spent much more time together than I did with any of you; she's the one who assisted me in deciding if you were trustworthy or not."

Draco didn't seem satisfied. 'When does a simple answer ever satisfy him?'

"Why is it _she _got to spend the summer with the Dark Lord's son, while the rest of us were languishing at home, and why is it we never saw her when we were with you?"

"I'll answer the second question, but I think I'll let her explain the first one. You never saw her because she was always hidden in another part of the manor when any of you were there. Father felt it would be better if you didn't know she was staying there until we had decided if you were trustworthy or not."

Desmond looked at Cat amusedly.

"Your turn, Cat."

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	8. Chapter 7

**_Chapter Seven: Secrets and Confrontations_**

All eyes turned to focus on Cat and her sister Elysia, whose eyes were looking up at her as well. Everyone was curious as to why she was so privileged that she was allowed to spend the summer with the Dark Lord's son. Even her best friend Cassie was looking at her expectantly; she met Desmond's emerald green eyes evenly.

"I stayed with Desmond over the summer because my parents went to Italy, and unlike Elysia, I've been there too many times to still be mesmerized by it."

For a second, Cat figured she had been spared from having to tell the whole truth, but then she met Draco's grey-blue eyes and her hopes were obliterated.

"I don't buy it; you could have stayed at Malfoy Mansion per usual. Hell, you could've stayed with any of us. Why would the Dark Lord allow you to stay with his son if there are plenty of other perfectly acceptable places for you to go?"

'Damn him and his insight.' "All of that's because…well, it's because…"

"Just spit it out already, Cat."

"Yeah, we really wanna know!"

"Tell us already!"

"It's because he's my godfather!"

She said it so fast; she was surprised anyone had understood what she'd said, but apparently, they had because now everyone in the room was staring at her, again. Everyone, except Draco that is; he was staring intently into the fireplace. 'That's not like him; I expected an explosion, with swearing and maybe even some hexes thrown my way, not silence.' Before she had a chance to speak to him though, she was inundated with questions from her friends.

"He's really your godfather?"

"Yes, he's…"

"Why didn't you tell us?"

"I…"

"Well, obviously she…"

"How'd you get our Lord as your godfather?"

"Well, I…"

Desmond laughed so hard he almost fell out of his chair; this was why he enjoyed having Cately around so much. He was normally a reserved and serious person, but around Cat, he laughed more; he'd never, in all the time he'd known her, seen her so flustered. She was usually the calmest and most in-control person around, except for maybe himself.

"Master Desmond? Master says it's time."

Desmond nodded at the house-elf that had just appeared at his side. Standing, he used Cat's proven technique of gaining a roomful of people's attention; he put his fingers to his lips and let loose a piercing whistle. Instantly, all questioning ceased.

"I just thought you'd like to know that my father's summoning us."

Everyone looked at him as if he'd just told them that Albus Dumbledore was going to put on a ballet performance in a pink tutu for them, except for Cat who was watching him intently with a look of surprise on her entrancing face.

"What?!"

"What's going on, Des? He's never summoned _all_ of us before."

"You'll see; come on everybody."

With that being said, he took the lead striding out the door and down the hall toward his father's anteroom. Cat quickly caught up to and kept stride with him; she'd have to deal with Draco later.

"Does this have anything to do with what you were talking about the other day?"

All he said was, "You'll see," as he replaced his mask.

They were just a few halls away from the anteroom when Dorian rounded the corner. Immediately, all of the Inner's children slid to their knees and offered their obeisance; the only ones left standing were the Shadow Prince and Cat. No one had needed to announce who he was; his carriage and air told them precisely who he was. Along with the fact that the only ones allowed this far into the manor would be the Princes or the Dark Lord himself.

"What is this _rabble_ doing here, Desmond? You know no one's allowed this far into the keep except for you, me, or father."

"Don't call my friends rabble, Dorian. Besides, not that it's any of your business, but they're here with father's explicit permission. Now, kindly move out of the way."

"Don't order me around, Desmond. You may have authority over those worthless Death Eaters, but you are still my **younger** brother, which puts me in the higher position.

Cat could see Desmond's hackles rising; he normally put up with Dorian's attitude, but right now, in front of their friends, Desmond couldn't allow himself to back down. 'Time for me to step in before things go bad.'

"It's been awhile, Dorian. How've you been?"

Dorian's hard gaze now turned to her, and she couldn't help the shiver that skittered down her spine. No matter how many times she met those cold black eyes, they always sent shivers running down her spine. She wasn't afraid of him per se, but his void-like eyes always startled her; they were so unlike Desmond's which were filled with intelligence, and sometimes aloofness, but never the coldness that was always in his brother's.

"Cately, you're here too; I should've known. Desmond always seems to forget his place whenever you're around him. Would that be your handiwork, perhaps? Maybe you've been singing to him?"

Cat paled and took an inadvertent step back; Desmond glared at his brother, standing protectively in front of the unnerved witch. The only thing that could truly discomfit Cat was to mention her darkest secret in front of those closest to her.

"Leave her out of this Dor…"

"I would if she'd show me the proper respect and kneel."

"Cat doesn't kneel to either of us unless we're in public, and you know it. Now, let us pass unless you want to explain to father why he was kept waiting."

Dorian's glare was cold enough to freeze hell over, at least in Cat's opinion, as he disappeared in a burst of black flame.

All Desmond said before resuming their journey was, "Let's go, father will not be pleased if we are tardy."

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	9. Chapter 8

_**Chapter Eight: Reassurances**_

Silence reigned in the dimly lit corridor as Desmond resumed leading the way to his father's private receiving room. It had been a silent journey from the beginning, but where before it had been an easy silence between friends, it was now an uncomfortable one. Inwardly, Desmond seethed at his elder brother for what he had done; out of the corner of his left eye, he could see Cat, but she no longer exuded confidence or joy, and now, instead of walking directly beside him, she had drifted a little behind. Her eyes were downcast, and she didn't seem to even know where she was anymore; in short, she wasn't behaving like herself. He slowed his pace down ever so slightly to match hers and gently nudged her with his shoulder. Cat looked up at the unexpected contact and met his eyes. Instantly, the corridor around them melted away, leaving only him and her.

'You ok, Cat?'

'Of course, I am. Why wouldn't I be? It isn't as if Dorian almost told the most important people in my life my biggest secret; nothing like that just happened.'

'The key word being "almost" which means that he didn't, and they still don't know.'

'You think that all of them missed his inferences? Our friends aren't complete idiots you know; there's no way a person as attentive as Rashira, Cassie, or Draco are didn't notice. Shira's not the prying type, and Cassie will drop it if I insist, but what about Dray? He's already irritated with me for not telling him that the Dark Lord is my godfather, and now, he finds out that I may have another secret? What am I supposed to do?'

Even speaking through a mind link as they were, Desmond could feel Cat's near panic as she spoke. He knew he had to calm her down before their audience with his father. Meeting with the Dark Lord with anything but a cool head was suicide, even for his favored goddaughter; it wasn't as if he was going to choose tonight of all nights to suddenly ignore his only goddaughter, so he would definitely notice if her usually composed carriage was missing.

'I'm going to give you the same advice I gave you when I first found out your secret. **Tell him**. You said it yourself; he's practically your brother. You two grew up together; you share **everything**. You knew each other almost from birth. Do you really think something like this would suddenly change all of that? Give him some credit, Cat.'

'I do give him credit, but this isn't like telling him that I hate the new robes he just bought, or that I think his new cloak looks like it was made from one of his mother's dress robes from last season. This is…'

'Something he probably already suspects; if he's even a fraction as smart as you keep telling me he is, he should have already figured out that there was something you were keeping from him, or have you always possessed the talent to hide things so well that even those that know you wouldn't notice something? Because I really can't see a two-year-old hiding anything very well; not even you.'

Cat seemed to shrink in on herself as he finished his last statement; he regretted having upset her, but this was a fear she needed to get over, or at the very least, put away for another time. Desmond waited patiently as she processed what he had told her, hoping that he hadn't just pushed his closest friend into a complete state of hysteria. He knew that Cat wasn't so conceited that she would think she could conceal herself at an age where she wouldn't have even known that there was anything about herself that needed concealing, but she likely never had thought about that. Finally, she looked back up, and Desmond breathed a sigh of relief at the returned air of calm about her.

'You're right, Des, there's no way Dray doesn't suspect that there's something very different about me. He's always been intelligent and discerning about everyone around him, me included.'

'And the fact that he hasn't said anything about it or treated you any differently means that he's willing to wait until you're ready to share it with him.'

'That means I have to tell him, and soon, before he loses his patience, or worse, I lose his trust.'

He must have had a very uncharacteristically puzzled look on his face; either that or Cat had developed the power to read his thoughts because there was no way that he had spoken his thoughts aloud.

'It never occurred to me that Dray already knew I was hiding something from him. Now that you've pointed out that there's no way he doesn't know, I can't keep hiding it from him. He and I have always been totally open with one another. If I start hiding things, then pretty soon our bond of trust will be gone, and I won't let that happen.'

'Good, now that you're calm and collected, I think we should return to the others. We must look like a couple of Inferi to the others.'

'Alright, go ahead and release it.'

The Shadow Prince nodded and went about the process of disconnecting his mind from hers. The kind of mind link he had used on her was very convenient, but it was also exceedingly dangerous. If the user didn't have the subject's permission to link with his/her mind, the user risked losing his/her own mind within the incomplete channel. Desmond was one of only a few people who could take such liberties with Cately Blanchard's mind at almost anytime, of which he was genuinely proud. Just as he felt the bond between them dispersing, Cat's voice drifted to him.

'Thanks, Des.'

As awareness of his surroundings returned to him, Desmond felt Cat's presence return to his side. Looking forward, he could just make out the outlines of the two serpent statues that guarded the entrance of his father's anteroom; the two of them had finished their impromptu conversation at the perfect time it seemed. Much later and they would have led their friends straight into those guardians, which would not have been easy to explain to either his father or his friends. On impulse, he turned and met Cat's eyes, which were now filled with mirth; doubtless, she had had the same thoughts. As they came upon the entrance, they both automatically stopped and turned to look at their friends. Desmond let Cat address them as he **did **have the higher rank here.

"Ok guys, I know that this is a pretty nerve-racking time for you, but you have got to stay calm, ok? Just don't speak unless he speaks to you, answer truthfully, and above all, don't try to hide anything and I mean anything. That's about it; everyone take a deep breath, and let's go."

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